title: Evidence for long-term impact of Pasos Adelante: using a community-wide survey to evaluate chronic disease risk modification in prior program participants.
abstract: Effective community-level chronic disease prevention is critical to population health within developed and developing nations. Pasos Adelante is a preventive intervention that aims to reduce chronic disease risk with evidence of effectiveness in US-Mexico residing, Mexican origin, participants. This intervention and related ones also implemented with community health workers have been shown to improve clinical, behavioral and quality of life indicators; though most evidence is from shorter-term evaluations and/or lack comparison groups. The current study examines the impact of this program using secondary data collected in the community 3-6 years after all participants completed the program. A proportional household survey (N = 708) was used that included 48 respondents who indicated they had participated in Pasos. Using propensity score matching to account for differences in program participants versus other community residents (the program targeted those with diabetes and associated risk factors), 148 natural controls were identified for 37 matched Pasos participants. Testing a range of behavioral and clinical indicators of chronic disease risk, logistic regression models accounting for selection bias showed two significant findings; Pasos participants were more physically active and drank less whole milk. These findings add to the evidence of the effectiveness of Pasos Adalente and related interventions in reducing chronic disease risk in Mexican-origin populations, and illustrate the use of innovative techniques for using secondary, community-level data to complement prior evaluation research.
authors.affiliation: Arizona Prevention Research Center, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 1295 N. Martin Ave, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA. scott.carvajal@arizona.edu.
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Carvajal
authors.forename: Noelle
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miesfeld
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Kerstin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Reinschmidt
authors.forename: Jill Guernsey
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: de Zapien
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosales
authors.forename: Lisa K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Staten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000517:prevention & control; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States